Uber Provides $1.2 Million Grant to Girls Who Code

Uber is investing in the future of rising women tech professionals by giving a $1.2 million grant to Girls Who Code, a non-profit designed to assist in closing the gender gap in the technology industry. The collaboration, which will execute over multiple years, brings Chief Brand Officer Bozama Saint John to the non profit’s board of directors to assist in their mission.

“If I’m going to go for it, I’m going to go for it all,” Saint John told TechCrunch.

The $1.2 million is the first investment into a pledged $3 million to assist in diversity efforts after they released their first diverstiy report in March of thsi year. The contribution will assist 60,000 girls in learning technical skills. In the past five years, Girls Who Code served 40,000 girls by providing after school and summer program options.

In addition, Uber employees in tech positions will set up coding workshops and mentorship programs in local Girls Who Code chapters across the United States.

“I’ve said it quite a bit, but I believe in representation and that it matters,” Girls Who Code Founder and CEO Reshma Saujani said. “And there’s no better time than right now to talk about women in tech and women in these very specific ladders. We obviously want more leadership and want more women in tech, so we need to make sure the pipeline is strong.”